SIX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 3, 2022
~ Letters to the Editor ~
The Heppner Gazette Times will print all letters to the Editor with the following criteria met: letters submitted to the newspaper will need to have the name of the sender along with a legible signature. We are also requesting that you
provide your address and a phone number where you can be reached. The address and phone number will only be used for verification and will not be printed in the newspaper. Letters may not be libelous. The GT reserves the right to
edit. The GT is not responsible for accuracy of statements made in letters. Any letters expressing thanks will be placed in the classifieds under “Card of Thanks” at a cost of $10. Email to editor@rapidserve.net or upload to Heppner.net.
Details and facts matter
When it comes to emer-
gency medical services in
Morrow County, details and
facts matter.
This letter is in re-
sponse to the anonymous
letter published in the July
issue of the North Morrow
Times, which by the way
was rejected by the East
Oregonian and Heppner
Gazette Times because the
writers hid behind the title
“Morrow County first re-
sponders” and did not list
their names.
Those of us in local
health care recall activities
similar to these in the form
of the past CEO of Co-
lumbia River Health, Seth
Whitmer. His tactics were
very similar to the ones
being used in the current
emergency medical ser-
vices situation by Board-
man Fire Rescue District
(BFRD) Chief Michael
Hughes and the BFRD
board of directors. Divide
and conquer until they get
what they want, no matter
the costs. I counter, howev-
er, that the county and the
region is bigger than just
what Hughes, the BFRD
board and the anonymous
writers consider and care
for. All parts of the region’s
health care are important
to the locals who live and
work here.
I am speaking as only
one board member of the
Morrow County Health
District (MCHD) and as an
owner of a growing local
business in Boardman serv-
ing north Morrow, north
Gilliam and north Umatilla
counties. People should
know more about this cur-
rent emergency medical
services situation than they
are being fed. Transparency
and facts matter.
About two years
ago, Michael Hughes ap-
proached the MCHD with
the idea of taking over all
of north Morrow County
EMS services. Later, that
proposal was modified to
partnering with MCHD
for service to Boardman
only. Many conversations
occurred over the past
two years; ultimately, the
MCHD board voted 5-0 to
decline this partnership.
Here’s why I voted
against it:
-Hughes stated he
needed EMS personnel so
that he could add staff and
thus gain firefighters in case
of a catastrophic fire. Who
is supposed to staff the am-
bulances if all of them are
fighting fire?
-Who looks after the
well-being of the fire crew
and casualties if all are en-
gaged in firefighting?
-This proposal was
unnecessary also because
mutual aid still exists be-
tween cities. Should the
need arise, firefighting help
for large fires would still be
available.
When it appeared that
MCHD would not give
BFRD all of north Morrow
County, Hughes attempt-
ed to take it at the county
level by carving up the
Ambulance Service Area
and the funding for it from
MCHD’s operating levy.
He claimed it was legal to
remove the funding from
the MCHD budget, when
in fact it very much is not.
When asked for his written
plan to provide services for
his proposed ASA, he actu-
ally presented the MCHD’s
paperwork (plan), not his
own, with the comment that
“the rest of the county can
stay the same.” I disagreed
with his actions that day,
especially his cutting loose
the rest of the county, and
concluded that everything
he says must be questioned.
Hughes was also asked
how he was going to finan-
cially support EMS ser-
vices, a question that still
stands to this day. He still
has not explained his fund-
ing sources and billing
mechanisms. You might
want to ask him and his
board about this if you are
a city of Boardman tax-
payer. What does everyone
think of BFRD’s request
for contributions to make
up the difference in fund-
ing between the new fire
hall levy and the currently
increased building costs?
How does an additional
$500,000 for two new am-
bulances and staffing fit into
the budget when they are
short on funds already? A
public records request was
made to BFRD for this in-
formation but has not been
fulfilled, nor have minutes
from recent BFRD board
meetings been posted to
their website. Why not?
The straw that broke
my camel’s back about vot-
ing to turn over MCHD staff
to Chief Hughes’ supervi-
sion came when we began
to see information about
EMS patient runs show-
ing up in public meetings
and on social media from
BFRD’s employees.
According to Oregon
Administrative Rule 333-
265-0083(1), the law that
specifically governs EMS,
it is contrary to the recog-
nized standards of ethics
for an EMS provider to
“knowingly and willfully
violate a patient’s privacy
or confidentiality by releas-
ing information to persons
not directly involved in the
care or treatment of the
patient.” This rule is even
more stringent than federal
rules and is meant to protect
your confidentiality.
Shouldn’t an EMS pro-
vider with years of experi-
ence know this? Shouldn’t
the leader of EMS services
know the laws he is sup-
posed to lead by? My only
conclusion was that he and
his board were either ig-
norant of the services they
were trying to sell to the
public or they felt it was
more important to political-
ly leverage it for their gain
than to protect the patients
they serve. Either was un-
acceptable to me.
I have no regrets about
voting no on Hughes’ pro-
posal. Also, I did not and
do not say “never” when
it comes to possibly work-
ing together in the future.
That’s not how I was taught
to look to the future. I do
insist on competent and
knowledgeable leadership
though before doing so.
Which is why now is an
appropriate time to thank
MCHD CEO Emily Rob-
erts for her competent, eth-
ical, legal and transparent
leadership.
Lastly, I will totally
own Murray’s pharmacy
service to the MCHD for
the past 40+ years (not 20,
facts matter) and the wag-
es our pharmacists have
earned from their dedicated
service to patients. Mur-
ray’s pharmacy also pays
fair market rent on the space
leased at MCHD’s Board-
man Building.
Fact and details do mat-
ter, more than emotions and
rumors. Take the time to
learn the real facts of this
situation and consider both
sides.
John Murray, RPh
Owner, Murray’s Drug
Hughes reveals different agenda
To the editor:
Michael Hughes,
BFRD fire chief stated
soon after being hired,
“BFRD does not want to
take over EMS services
in Boardman.” (MCHD
public record, 11/9/20). A
few months later, Michael
Hughes revealed a different
agenda to the MCHD (Mor-
row County Health District)
“to split the county into
two ASAs with BFRD tak-
ing the Boardman-Irrigon
area.” (MCHD, 2/24/21)
The MCHD Board of Di-
rectors has attempted to
work with Boardman Fire
Chief Hughes since then
to “resolve this issue and
develop a partnership with
BRFD to enhance EMS
service” (Hermiston Her-
ald, (H.H.) 7/27/22), how-
ever, those efforts have
not been successful. The
MCHD continues to work
“toward a reasonable,
community-based resolu-
tion.” (Hermiston Herald,
7/27/22), however, accord-
ing to MCHD, Fire Chief
Hughes “is not looking to
partner with the health dis-
trict but instead take it over
and the funding that goes
with it.” (H.H, 7/27/22)
The Morrow County
public are caught in the
middle of this manure
storm. Is MCHD correct in
its position to have “shot
down Hughes request be-
cause of the ‘overriding
reasons’ for the request
was about funding rather
than public safety.” (H.H.
7/27/22). Has Boardman
Fire Chief Hughes sincerely
worked with MCHD to find
a solution to a political bat-
tle that threatens to irrecon-
cilably divide our county?
Oregon Public Records
of official board meetings
and other correspondence
reveal consistent evidence
Chief Hughes never in-
tended to work for a part-
nership with MCHD from
Republicans to host
ice cream social
The “Get the Scoop”
ice cream social fundrais-
ing event is scheduled for
Wednesday, August 17,
2022. The event is being
organized by the Morrow
County Republicans and
will feature the 2022 Re-
publican candidates: Or-
egon District 2 U.S. Con-
gress, Cliff Bentz; U.S.
Senate, Jo Rae Perkins;
Oregon Governor, Christine
Drazan; Oregon Commis-
sioner of Labor and Indus-
try, Cheri Helt; and Oregon
State Representative Dis-
trict 57, Greg Smith.
“The event will be an
opportunity for individuals
to enjoy a Tillamook ice
cream sundae while per-
sonally meeting and talking
with the candidates,” said
Morrow County Republi-
can Chairman, Clint Carl-
son.
The social will be held
at the Heppner Christian
Life Center from 3:30-5:30
p.m. Tickets can be pur-
chased for $20 in Heppner
the get-go. “Chief Hughes
indicated he had artificially
inflated the payment rates
he requested in order to
‘sting’ to force MCHD to
agree to his partnership
plan.” (MCHD 9/1/21)
The MCHD reached out to
BFRD regarding “deterio-
rating relationship…no re-
sponse received.” (MCHD
9/27/21) BFRD Chief
Hughes revealed why there
was no response: “Current-
ly the fire district (BFRD)
is not interested in having
a contractual agreement
with the health district.”
(MCHD 1/20/22) Present-
ly Hughes Boardman Fire
Department is “engaging
in a practice known as call
jumping, where multiple
providers respond to single
accident.” (H.H. 7/27/22)
Call jumping is illegal in
Oregon because it puts the
public and patients at risk.
Fire Chief Hughes is one of
the prime instigators of a re-
call petition to remove two
county commissioners that
oppose his plan. Hughes ad-
vocated for this recall using
his public office, on public
time, on public payroll, in
violation of ORS 260.432
at a meeting in Heppner
June 30, 22.
If you attended a recent
EMS (Emergency Medical
Service) meeting July 20,
22 in Heppner you would
be led to believe it has
been the MCHD that is
the stumbling block by
being “stubborn…I don’t
get the conflict…Get over
it…make the best service
possible” (Boardman May-
or Paul Keefer) (Gazette
Times, 7/20/22). At the
present time MCHD is
the “ambulance service
provider for all of Morrow
County and Boardman has
been ignoring that.” (H.H.
7/27/22). In fact, BFRD
has purchased three new
ambulances that they have
no license to operate. Who
paid for these ambulances?
Veteran Morrow Coun-
ty Paramedic Del Turner
urged the MCHD to allow
the BFRD to operate these
ambulances stating there
would be consequences if
denied. “Simply put any
agency trying to stop a high-
ly respected fire department
from serving its community
and Boardman at Murray’s
Drug or from Stacie Ek-
strom in Ione. Funds raised
will support the work of
the Morrow County Re-
publicans. For more in-
formation about the event
or ticket purchase, email
mocoreps@gmail.com.
will embolden and polarize
the voters to a degree of
anger that will simply not
be good outcome for the
MCHD.” (G.T. 7/20/22)
I applaud Del Turner and
fellow EMT’s for their life
saving commitment to our
county and country. Nev-
ertheless, it should grieve
all Morrow County citizens
that this battle rages on with
no end in sight and the true
motives have been hidden
from the public. Boardman
Fire Chief Hughes in con-
sult with Commissioner
Don Russell has violated
multiple Oregon State stat-
utes in fostering enmity and
division in our County.
Commissioner Don
Russell has worked behind
the back of fellow county
commissioners with Fire
Chief Hughes in an attempt
to obtain an ambulance
license from the Oregon
Health Authority to operate
ambulances the BRFD has
already purchased. Russell
sent a letter of verifica-
tion of need to the Oregon
Health Authority claiming,
“the county does not have
an adopted ASA (Ambu-
lance Service Area) Plan
at this time.” (Letter from
Commissioner Don Russell
to Oregon Health Author-
ity, June 27. 22) Russell
knew full well the Mor-
row County commissioners
“unanimously adopted the
ASA Plan on April 28,
21.” (MCBOC, 4/28/21)
Fire Chief Hughes signed a
notarized statement he full
well knew was not truthful:
“I certify that there has been
no attempt to knowingly
and willingly falsify, con-
ceal or omit material fact…
for the purpose of obtaining
or attempting to obtain an
ambulance service license.”
(Notarized June 1, 22 Krista
Anna Price)
In the old days county
judges like Paul Jones,
Oscar Peterson, Louis Carl-
son would have put this
fire out before it started.
Business and civic leaders
like Dewey West, Howard
Bryant, Cliff Green, Glen
Ward, Larry Mills would
have separated the truth
from the subterfuge. Sheriff
Clarence Bauman would
have discerned this politi-
cal manure storm from the
get-go and put an end to
the dangerous and illegal
practice of ‘call jumping.’
These true fathers of
Morrow County are gone.
Will our heritage and integ-
rity of public office go with
them? “Ye shall know the
truth and the truth will set
you free.” (John 8:32)
Stuart Dick, Irrigon
August 10th is Agent Orange Awareness Day
Veterans who served in Vietnam, Brown Water Navy, Blue Water Navy to include those
stationed on ships off the coast of Vietnam during the conflict, Thailand military bases,
Korean Demilitarized Zone
Currently, the following conditions are presumed to be caused by Agent Orange.
Qualifying veterans may receive service connected benefits.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
AL Amyloidosis
Chronic B-cell Leukemias
Chloracne
Diabetes Mellitus Type 2
Hodgkin’s Disease
Ischemic Heart Disease
Multiple Myeloma
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
•
•
•
•
•
•
Parkinson’s Disease
Peripheral Neuropathy, Early Onset
Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
Prostate Cancer
Respiratory Cancers (bronchus, larynx ,
lung cancer, trachea)
Soft Tissue Sarcomas
Call Morrow County Veterans Services today! 541-922-6420